Listed on the menu as Citrus and Cream Salmon & Shrimp ($19), it was a dish that brought together fresh salmon chunks, whole shrimp, potato gnocchi, and baby spinach in a cream reduction delicately infused with orange flavor. Handsomely plated, the dish also pleased with its cooked-just-right components and silky-textured sauce.

Such upscale aspirations, we were to discover, are the current agenda at Zanto Restaurant, which is located on the College Highway just south of Feeding Hills Road.

The restaurant's storefront home has recently been redone in a darkly dramatic style; colorful photomurals contribute a dash of visual spice. Comfortable booths, a small bar, and a few additional tables represent the available seating options in the compact dining room.

The current bill of fare at Zanto isn't only interesting for what's offered; it also incorporates a simplified pricing scheme.

Classic dishes, such as House Made Lasagna, Penne with Sausage, and Eggplant Parmesan, are all priced at $15.

"Signature Pasta Dishes" go for $18. That selection ranges from the familiar, such as Penne Alla Vodka, Linguine Carbonara, Chicken Marsala, and Pasta Primavera, which all share page space with the likes of Mad Meatballs (they're served in a spicy, basil-inflected marinara) and New Orleans Shrimp, which are partnered with a Bourbon-spiked red sauce.

Typical of the $19, top-of-the-line entrees, are options such as Haddock Francese, Toasted Lemon Herb Salmon, and Steak Gorgonzola Cream.

For our first course experience we turned to the restaurant's small plate listings.

House Made Meatballs ($5) had a definite rustic look; three oversized specimens, they were sauced with marinara and topped with melted cheese. The meatballs, we noted, obviously derived their soft-textured, somewhat crumbly character from the herbed bread crumbs used to bind them.

We also found the restaurant's red sauce different than that to which we typically encounter. Thick and somewhat chunky, it had, under its tomato and herb facade, a subtle sweetness that reminded us of wine - or even grape jelly.

In addition to the aforementioned salmon and shrimp creation, we also ordered House Made Chicken Parmesan ($15). Listed as a "classic," it was exactly that - two oversized breast filets breaded and pan-fried, then topped with sauce and cheese.

Noteworthy? Not particularly, but the "parm" couldn't be faulted on either the freshness of its components or the size of the portion.

Main course selections at Zantos are served with a garden salad and a plate of focaccia. The latter, described as "house made," was particularly to our liking. Tender and fine of crumb, it was drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with cheese before being delivered to our table.

Zanto is licensed for the sale of beer and wine. Its selection of the latter includes two dozen varied offerings, including wild cards like an "Anastasi" Cabernet of Greek origin.

For dessert the restaurant offers a small selection of high-quality, brought-in options.

Whether it was man or machine that made the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake ($6.95), the result was worth every silken-textured calorie.

The Baklava ($7.95) we sampled was what we'd label a short-cut version, with multiple layers of syrup-moistened filo folded over a thick slathering of nut-and-cinnamon filling.

Zantos Restaurant hasn't entirely abandoned its pizzeria origins. Pies are still available in two sizes and with a variety of toppings, while a list of "Signature" pizzas suggests compatible garnish combinations.

The Meat Lovers ($14.99 for a medium-sized, 12-inch pie) featured a generous layering of pepperoni, sliced sausage, ground beef crumbles, and bacon.

The crust was thin, tender, and somewhat neutral in flavor; the sauce on the pie was an obvious cousin of the house marinara - it had the same elusive sweetness.